How can I deploy nextjs and nodejs on Heroku without using npm run build on the client/frontend side?

Question

So, I don't want to build my nextjs since it will break the code for connecting to the backend. I'm not sure if you get it, and that is what it is... If I launch heroku with npm run build, the frontend and graphql function well, but it doesn't connect to the backend...

here is my package.json:

{
  ...
  "scripts": {
    "f": "next dev",
    "backend": "cd backend && npm run s --prefix backend",
    "build": "next build",
    "start": "next start",
    "heroku-postbuild": "NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION=false npm install --prefix backend && npm run build"
  },
  ...
  ...
  "engines": {
    "node": "14.x",
    "npm": "7.16.0"
}

my project structure is nextjs project > backend folder > backend files

When I delete "npm run build" from the heroku-postbuild scripts, thethe website no longer displays the client side and instead displays an error stating "heroku tail logs" something... I have many websites hosted on nginx vps making nextjs and nodejs project, but I wanted to use heroku because this website isn't really worth the vps fee.

Is it possible to do this?

Details:

• Im on mac
• I installed heroku using brew in terminal
• I ran buildpacks for heroku/nodejs
• I used the method of heroku cli
• I followed the git instructions properly
• My port is 5001 in backend
• When i go to the website-url:5001/graphql it gives me error... and yes ive changed all codes to the website url and not localhost

Answer 1

try using docker, export one port for backend and another for frontend. you can use nginx which will run on the top of linux image